Sintering Process: Mechanisms and Stages

This lecture covers the sintering process, focusing on the mechanisms and stages involved. Analytical models are used to understand the evolving microstructure during sintering, with idealized geometries defined for each stage. The lecture discusses the three sequential stages of sintering: initial, intermediate, and final, highlighting the changes in pore structure, density, and grain boundaries. Various mechanisms such as grain boundary diffusion, vapor transport, and plastic flow are explained in detail. The lecture emphasizes the competition between sintering and coarsening, which impacts material properties. Different equations and models are presented to describe the densification process during sintering, providing insights into the complex nature of solid-state sintering.